15 Best Fireworks Festivals in Japan to See in 2023/24
Japan takes its fireworks seriously, proven by the dozens of dazzling Japanese fireworks festivals held across the country. While many take place in summer, you’ll likely find a fireworks festival in Japan no matter the time of your visit. From those conveniently located in central Tokyo to others in the middle of deep rural Japan, here are our picks for the 15 best fireworks festivals to see in Japan!
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1. Nagaoka Matsuri Fireworks Festival (Niigata)
Cp9asngf/Wikimedia CommonsThis fireworks festival has managed to satisfy all the critics and got itself the top spot in all fireworks festival rankings. It is the king of fireworks festival in the whole country. Here, they showcase the ever famous Shosanshakudama a total of 4 times, providing the spectators with a spectacular fireworks performance, hence making it truly the best out of the top three most magnificent fireworks festival in Japan. It may take some time and effort to make your way here from either the Kanto area or Kansai area but it is truly worth it. (Shakudama refers to the firework's dimension when lit up. A Shakudama will rise up to a height of 300m and on its first lit, it will achieve a diameter of 30m and then expand to a 300m diameter circle. A Sanshakudama will reach a height of 600m and then expand from a diameter of 90cm to 550m! Plus the Sanshakudama was created in Nagaoka and that is why here in Nagaoka, it is referred to as Shosanshakudama.)
The event is from August 1 to 3.
Homepage: nagaokamatsuri.com/en/ (English)
2. Okazaki Fireworks Festival (Aichi)
Results of a survey show that this is the number one fireworks festival that people would want to go to and experience and the second most popular fireworks festival in the Tokai area. Okazaki, the birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu, is also where the famous Mikawa fireworks is produced. Fireworks artisans here take pride in making Mikawa fireworks and their passion and dedication will definitely show as the fireworks lit up at night. The fireworks festival here is not to be missed as you will be entertained with beautiful fireworks lighting up the sky with the Okazaki Castle in the background.
The event is from July 29 to August 2.
Homepage: http://www.okazakimatsuri.jp/(Japanese Only)
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3. Tsuchiura All Japan Fireworks Festival (Ibaraki)
トトト/Wikimedia CommonsThis fireworks festival ranks 3rd fireworks festival that people would most want to go to. Critics have ranked it as the 3rd best fireworks festival and in the Kanto rankings, it places 1st. Hence it does deserve to be part of the best 3 fireworks festivals in the whole of Japan. Pyrotechnic experts gather for this competition to show off their best fireworks performance through three categories; rapid and continuous shots (Starmines), size of the diameter and freestyle. As it is quite close to Tokyo, it would be easy to incorporate this must-see event into your itinerary.
This event is on October 3.
Homepage: www.tsuchiura-hanabi.jp/ (Japanese Only)
4. Omagari National Japan Fireworks Competition (Akita)
Homepage: www.oomagari-hanabi.com/ (Japanese Only)
5. Katsushika Noryo Fireworks Festival (Tokyo)
This event is on July 21.
Homepage: www.gotokyo.org/en/spot/ev042/index.html
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6. Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (Tokyo)
てんどん/Wikimedia CommonsThis famous fireworks festival is located right in the middle of the city. The view is just amazing as it is not only about the big and colorful fireworks in the sky but the cultural aspects of the surroundings with traditional houseboats on the river and the Tokyo Skytree in the background. Be warned though, because of its location in the middle of the city, it is going to attract a major crowd and you might have to come here really early to get a good seat.
This event is on July 25.
Homepage: sumidagawa-hanabi.com/ (Japanese Only)
7. Kanagawa Shimbun Fireworks Festival (Yokohama)
This event is on August 4.
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8. Minato Kobe Fireworks Festival (Kobe, Hyogo)
This event is held on August 8.
Homepage: minatohanabi.jp/ (Japanese Only)
9. Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka)
This event is held on July 25.
Homepage: osakatemmangu.or.jp/saijireki/tjm (Japanese Only)
10. Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival (Osaka)
This event is held on August 8.
Homepage: www.yodohanabi.com/ (Japanese Only)
11. PL Art of Fireworks (Osaka)
This event is held on August 1.
12. Nagaragawa Fireworks Festival (Gifu)
This event is held on July 25.
Homepage: nagara-hanabi.jp/ (Japanese Only)
13. Fukuroi Fireworks Festival (Shizuoka)
This event is on August 8.
Homepage: http://www.fukuroi-hanabi.jp/index.html (Japanese Only)
14. Suwako Matsuri Fireworks Festival (Nagano)
This event is on August 15.
Homepage: sp.jorudan.co.jp/hanabi/spot_87309.html (Japanese Only)
15. Katakai Fireworks Festival, Asahara Shrine Annual Autumn Festival (Niigata)
Niigata's Katakai Matsuri Fireworks Festival is where you witness another world record with its Yonshakudama that expands from a diameter of 120cm to a whooping 800m! Its Yonshakudama shoots up to 800m and just fills the whole sky with beautiful colors! This is the one fireworks festival that has made its way to the Guinness World Records.
This event is from September 9 to 10.
Homepage: katakaimachi-enkakyokai.info/ (Japanese Only)
Have these fireworks festivals caught your attention? This list was carefully thought up after taking into consideration the many types of fireworks festival rankings that we have within Japan. As this list only shows the top 15 fireworks festival and not a comprehensive one of all the ones held at every prefecture, we hope that there is at least one in this list that you could make your way to easily.
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.